A Dutch Bros Coffee crew on North Yosemite Avenue found a man unresponsive outside their shop early Friday morning, and by the time officers arrived, he was dead. Oakdale police say the 34-year-old resident had actually been killed hours earlier, the victim of a hit-and-run they believe happened the night before near the Dutch Bros Coffee shop on North Yosemite Avenue — and the driver never stopped.
Employees' Early-Morning Call Led to Grim Discovery
Police said they received the call from Dutch Bros Coffee employees just before 7:20 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, reporting an unresponsive person near the business in the 800 block of North Yosemite Avenue, according to the Oakdale Leader. Officers who responded found a deceased adult male at the scene. As CBS Sacramento reported, detectives were already reviewing additional surveillance footage by the time the discovery was made public.
Police described the victim only as a 34-year-old Oakdale resident, and his name was being withheld pending notification of his next of kin, per the same outlet. That withholding is standard procedure while investigators work to locate and inform the man's family before releasing further details.
Investigators Believe Collision Happened Hours Before Victim Was Found
Though the body wasn't discovered until Friday morning, investigators believe the actual collision occurred around 9:08 p.m. the night before, on Thursday, Nov. 12. That timeline traces back to surveillance footage reviewed by officers, which they say pointed to the crash happening near that hour. The gap between the collision and the discovery has left a stretch of hours investigators are still trying to piece together.
Police are looking for a gold-colored, four-door crossover SUV as the vehicle of interest in the case. Afterward, it was last seen traveling westbound on River Avenue, according to the Oakdale Leader's reporting. No make, model, or license plate has been released.
Police Appeal to Nearby Businesses and Residents
Officers are asking residents and businesses in the area of the Cost Less Shopping Center and along River Avenue to review their own surveillance camera footage for any sign of the SUV around the time of the crash. Police have said the case remains an active investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Oakdale Police Department at 209-847-2231 and ask for Detective Marcos Gonzales.
